Automotive vehicles, particularly various types of trucks, currently employ an air intake snorkel that is attached to the air intake system. The air intake snorkel generally serves to elevate the air intake of the vehicle from its usual location in the engine compartment under the vehicle hood to a more elevated position, such as, for example, an elevated position on the vehicle hood, A-pillar, or roof. An air intake snorkel is frequently used when the vehicle is designed for off-road use and is desirable to avoid the intake of liquid water (e.g. when the vehicle is crossing streams, rivers, or other bodies of water) or snow/ice or to reduce the intake of dust, dirt, mud or other objects in the external environment.
In its elevated external position, an air intake snorkel and its component parts are subject to occasional external forces applied from sudden acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle and/or the impact of external objects, such as water, ice, snow, rocks, tree branches and the like. In addition to functional requirements of the air intake snorkel, it is also important that the snorkel has an appealing aesthetic appearance to users, particularly as it affects and relates to the overall vehicle appearance.
In view of the above, it is very desirable to ensure that the air intake snorkel and its component parts are securely attached to one another and the vehicle while maintaining a desirable aesthetic appearance of the snorkel to users of the vehicle.